


Dinner & Diatribes

by wajjs



Series: jason todd in songs [8]
Category: DCU, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Apocalypse, F/M, Inspired by Music, Post-Apocalypse, Pre-Relationship, Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:01:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 765
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26512573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wajjs/pseuds/wajjs
Summary: "Well," Jason doesn't drop his weapon, but he does lower his hand, "sorry to disappoint."Raven looks at him and—no, she looksthroughhis many barriers, sees him for what he's worth and what he is. Her lips twitch. It's almost a smile."No disappointment here," she says, stepping closer.
Relationships: Raven/Jason Todd
Series: jason todd in songs [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1725541
Comments: 4
Kudos: 37





	Dinner & Diatribes

**Author's Note:**

> Picking off from where [the first drabble of this series ended.](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23938339)
> 
> Wanted to write something with Raven, and this is pre-relationship but I really wanted it to grow into their actual relationship. Maybe sometime in the future. This is one of the first ships I liked in the fandom.

[ **** Dinner & Diatribes ](https://youtu.be/Iq5gesj6kmw)

_ I'd suffer Hell if you’d tell me _   


_ What you'd do to me tonight _

With the sun on one side and darkness creeping up the other, he reaches another city in ruins. Everything is in that state, actually, so he doesn't linger, doesn't waste a second thinking of the lives lost here when they have been lost  _ everywhere. _ All he does is jump off the fifth bike he's taken from the side of the road, hides it behind rubble even though he's not sure he'll even come back for it. It's never worth the risk.

He steps inside a building half demolished, half standing. Taps the side of his helmet once, adjusts his vision settings so he can walk around without tripping and bumping into nothing. For a weapon he doesn't grab his guns. He's saving the bullet. The very last one of its custom made kind. 

He'd kick himself over lack of ammo, but it's not like he can go to a lab and make more of those. And it's not like there are enough materials, not when they aren't easy to find.

What he grabs is a long piece of rusty metal from among the rubble. It will do the job just fine. Or it won't, and this is where his story ends. One way or another, there's not much to look up to, not when hint after hint keep coming up empty. Not when it's been months and he's yet to find someone else in this wasteland.

Maybe he's doing the searching all wrong.

Maybe he should give up.

That's the most useless of thoughts he's ever had. He didn't make it this far on hopelessness.

With the night falling over him like a blanket, Jason ventures deeper into the building. The air is oppressive with its buzzing silence and the dampness of the walls. A fat roach skitters just ahead to then disappear. The sight makes Jason want to laugh.

"This shithole of a planet ended up being all yours," he says to no one because the roach is far gone and he's getting a little anxious so deep among ruins and cracked concrete. Reminds him too much of a warehouse. Reminds him too much that he's as alone as he's always been.

He stops walking. There's no point to this wild goose chase. There's nothing else he can do.

It feels wrong. It feels awful.

He doesn't like it one bit.

_ I don't, either, _ a low voice echoes off inside his head. Jason's hold on the weapon of choice tightens.

From a wide crack, a shadow emerges—bird shaped, a shout out to the old times, a remnant of an existence they used to know. The shadow is familiar. He's seen this before.

"Raven," Jason says and it comes off as an odd mix of exasperated, relieved and grateful. 

The shadow takes form and dimension. It seamlessly shifts into a body, into a person, proof that this wasn't all for nothing.

"Jason," she nods, feet landing on the floor. "I didn't think anyone made it out of Gotham."

He bites down on his tongue.

"I did," that much is obvious.

"But not the others," she completes.

"Well," Jason doesn't drop his weapon, but he does lower his hand, "sorry to disappoint."

Raven looks at him and—no, she looks  _ through _ his many barriers, sees him for what he's worth and what he is. Her lips twitch. It's almost a smile.

"No disappointment here," she says, stepping closer. "It was simply… confirmation." She is tentative in her movements, slow, projecting the path of each of them. Like she's dealing with a feral animal. Like she's dealing with a wounded soul. "You're hurt," Raven hums and her fingers hover the place his jacket tore, fabric a dark brown with dry blood.

"I know," Jason breathes out, sound coming out wrangled through the helmet. One quick look around them, and their surroundings now seem less ideal than minutes before. "We should get out of here."

"Yes," Raven lets her own hands fall. Her cape is frayed and beginning to get too tattered, but it does the job at covering her again. "I'll take us somewhere else. Where I've been hiding. It should be safer."

"Sounds like a plan," he steps right next to her, feels the rush of her powers enveloping them both, unfamiliar but not undesirable. It'll take no time getting used to them. And that's the true danger of it.

Raven looks at him then, her eyes knowing and with no judgement.

They will both have to take the risk.


End file.
